Senior Investigator at the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), Brian Padayachee, has dismissed allegations by KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Police Commissioner, General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, that he was appointed to his position without the necessary skills, describing the claims as void, empty and baseless.
Padayachee made the remarks while testifying before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday.
His appearance came after IDAC head Andrea Johnson was unable to testify due to illness.
Diploma, courses completed
Addressing the commission, Padayachee said he wanted to respond directly to the allegations made against him by Mkhwanazi.
“In so far as General Mkhwanazi suggested that I am not qualified for my job, I have attached a copy of the certificate for a detective course that I successfully completed in 1998. For the sake of completeness, I have also attached a copy of the allocation of points awarded to me during the detective course.”
Padayachee told the commission that his qualifications extend beyond his detective training, saying he had completed specialised investigative courses presented in the United States and France.
“The courses I attended included fraud, money laundering, financial investigations, crime intelligence and specialised investigations. I have attached copies of those certificates. I have a diploma in Police Administration, which was awarded to me in 1992, and it is graded at NQF Level 6.”
Rejecting Mkhwanazi’s allegations, Padayachee said the allegations are empty.
“The allegations are void, empty and baseless.”
‘The Khan I know is not the Khan I see now’
During his testimony, Padayachee also spoke about his relationship with Major General Feroz Khan, saying the officer appearing before the commission is not the person he remembered working with during his time in Crime Intelligence.
“The General Khan that I know, and that I worked with during my time at Crime Intelligence, is not the General Khan that I see now appearing before the commission. I had my reservations about senior officers while I was there, but not to the extent that is being seen now.”
Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga asked Padayachee to elaborate on those reservations.
In response, Padayachee said one incident that stood out was Khan’s rapid promotion through the ranks.
“When General Khan came in, he was a colonel, and the next thing he was a general. There were whispers in the passages about that. It spread very quickly, and people were asking how that happened. I had my reservations about how it happened.”
- Senior Investigator Brian Padayachee refuted KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's claims that he lacks the necessary qualifications for his role, calling the allegations baseless.
- Padayachee presented evidence of his qualifications, including a detective course completed in 1998, specialized investigative training in the US and France, and a diploma in Police Administration at NQF Level 6.
- His testimony was given at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, stepping in for IDAC head Andrea Johnson who was ill.
- Padayachee criticized Major General Feroz Khan, stating that the current behavior of Khan before the commission contrasts with his previous experiences, highlighting concerns over Khan's rapid promotion.
- He noted that Khan quickly rose from colonel to general, raising suspicions and reservations among colleagues during their time in Crime Intelligence.
